Roundabout.



No. 822,876. PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906. G. H. WARE & G. M. HOLMES.

ROUNDABOUT.

APPLICATION FILED D30. 28. 1905.

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CHARLES H. WARE AND CHARLES M. HOLMES, OF BARRY, ILLINOIS.

ROUNDABOUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1906.

To ctZZ whom, it nuty concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES H. WARE and CHARLES M. HoLMEs, citizens of the United States, residing at Barry, in the county of Pike and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Roundabout-s, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention pertains to toys of the roundabout type; and it has for one of its objects to provide a simple and inexpensive roundabout constructed with a view of being operated by and affording beneficial exercise and considerable pleasure to one or more children.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a roundabout comprising a revoluble frame, means whereby one or more children are enabled to revolve and ride on the frame, and one or more devices mounted to rock on the frame and adapted to bear one or more children.

With the foregoing in mind the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when the same are considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the roundabout constituting the present and preferred embodiment of our invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the roundabout. Fig. 3 is a detail diametrical section illustrating the relative arrangement of the body, the center post, and the revoluble frame of the roundabout,- and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the brackets employed in connection with the mechanism for driving the revoluble frame.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings, referring to which A is the body or base of our novel roundabout. The said body or base is preferably, although not necessarily, made up of two bars a, of wood, disposed at right angles to each other and fixedly connected together at their point of intersection. At their upper sides and adjacent to their outer ends the said bars a of the body or base are provided with shoulders or abutments b for a purpose which will be presently understood.

B is a circular track, preferably of wood, arranged on and fixedly connected to the bars a of the body or base, with its inner edge bearing against the shoulders or abutments b, so as to be strengthened thereby, and C is the center post of the roundabout. i The said center post is provided at its lower end with a plate 0, screwed or otherwise fixedly con nected to the central portion of the body or base A, and it is braced through the medium of a collar 6 fixed to it by a set-screw f or other suitable means, and struts or rods 9 interposed between and connected to the collar and the base or body A, as best shown in D is the revoluble frame of the roundabout, which is loosely mounted on the post C above the collar 6 and is provided at its upper side with a wear-plate h, designed to prevent frictional wear of the frame against an upper collar 7c, which is fixed on the post with a view of preventing the frame from jumping off of or otherwise casually leaving the post. The said revoluble frame D preferably comprises four horizontal arms Z, which extend outwardly from the post 0 about the propor tional distance illustrated.

E E are hangers fixed to and depending from the arms Z of the revoluble frame D at points above the circular track B.

F F are traveling wheels mounted in two of the hangers E and arranged to bear and move on the track B, and G Gare wheels mounted in the other hangers E and arranged to bear and move on the track B. The wheels G are fixed on shafts H, which extend outwardly from the hangers E and are provided at intermediate points with cranks m, Fig. 2. The outer ends of the shafts H are journaled in the depending arms n of bracket-castings I, Figs. 2 and 4, which castings I are respectively provided, in addition to the depending arm n, with a body-plate 10, arranged below and fixedly connected to one of the arms Z, below which the wheels G are arranged, and a forwardlyextending arm 9.

J J are seats fixed to and carried by the arms Z above the wheels G.

K K are levers fulcrumed on the arms g of the brackets I and having pedal-pieces r on their lower arms and handles 8 on their upper arms, and L L are links interposed between and connecting the cranks m of the shafts H and the lower arms of the levers K. By virtue of this construction it will be apparent that children occupying the seats J are enabled with their hands and feet to rock the levers K to and fro and through the medium of the links L rotate the shafts H, and thereby cause the wheels G to turn on the track B and the frame D to revolve about the post IIO C. It will also be apparent that in working the levers K with their hands and feet the children are enabled to drive the revoluble frame D at a high rate of speed with but a minimum amount of effort and that incident to the revolution of the frame the lower limbs, the bodies, and the arms of the children are exercised in such manner as to be beneficial ,to their health.

M M are rocking devices mounted on the frame-arms 1 above the wheels F. These rocking devices may be of the construction shown or of any other construction compatible with the purpose of our invention and are designed to bear children who are carried as passengers on the roundabout. The said rocking devices are fixed to shafts N, which are journaled at their ends in apertured lugs P, fixed to and extending upwardly from the frame-arms l mentioned, as shown in Figs. 1

and 2. It will be apparent from the foregoing that small children seated in the devices M are enabled to rock the said devices and in that way amuse themselves while they are being carried around in a circular path by the revolution of the frame D.

In the practical use of our novel roundabout the children occupying the seats J utilize their hands and feet in rocking the levers K and rotating the wheels G, so as to revolve the frame D about the center post C and on the circular track B, while the children seated in the devices M are carried as passengers and do not contribute to the revolution of the frame D. i It will be noticed, however, that the children occupying the devices M are enabled to rock the said devices, and thereby add to their pleasure while they are being carried around on the revoluble frame.

While we prefer to employ rocking devices such as shown and described on the framearms Z above the wheels F, we do not desire to be understood as confining ourselves to such devices, inasmuch as when preferred hobby-horses or figures simulating animals other than horses may be used without involving a departure from the scope of our invention.

It will be gathered from the fore oing that our novel roundabout is simple and inexpensive in construction, requires but a small area for its operation, and is calculated to greatly amuse children and at the same time afford healthful exercise. It will also be gathered that the roundabout is easily taken care of and embodies no delicate parts, such as are likely to get out of order after a short period of use.

We claim 1. In a roundabout, the combination of a body or base, a centerpost,fixed to said body or base, a circular track fixed on the body or base and surrounding the center post, a frame revoluble about said post, a crank-shaft carried by the flame, a combined supporting and driving wheel fixed directly on the crankshaft and arranged to bear and travel on the circular track, whereby when the crankshaft is rotated, said wheel moves the frame about the center-post, an upright lever fulcrumed at an intermediate point of its length on a support carried by the frame, and a link connecting the lower arm of said lever and the crank-shaft.

2. In a roundabout, the combination of a body or base, a center post fixed to and rising from said body or base, a circular track fixed on the body or base and surrounding the center post, a frame disposed above the circular track and mounted on and revoluble about the center post; the-said frame comprising arms disposed at an angle to each other, a rocking device mounted on one of the arms of the revoluble frame and arranged to bear a child, a-wheel mountedbelowsaid arm and arranged to bear on the circular track, a bracket fixedly connected to the other arm of the frame and having a depending arm and a forwardly-extending arm, a bearing depending from such other arm of the frame, a crankshaft journaled in the bearing and the de pending arm of the bracket, a combined supporting and driving wheel fixed on said crankshaft and bearing on the circular track, an upright lever fulcrumed at an intermediate point of its length on the forwardly-extending arm of the bracket and having a lower pedal portion and an upper handle portion, and a link connecting the crank-shaft and the lower arm of the lever.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. WARE. CHARLES M. HOLMES. Witnesses:

Ms. A. MoOLAIN, STEPHEN NORVELL 

